Rococo Cupboards
Rococo was an aesthetic movement in the fine and decorative arts in the 18th century that found its inspiration in nature and fostered an overall lightness and delicacy of form, construction and ornament in interior design. Rococo furniture, while greatly influenced by trends in Italy and Germany, is often called Louis XV style — the movement having reached its best expression during that sybaritic French king’s reign.
The term “rococo” is thought to be a portmanteau of the French words rocaille and coquilles — “rock” and “shells” — organic motifs frequently used in architecture and design of the style.
When it comes to authentic Rococo furniture's characteristics, it is above all sensuous and social. The furniture of earlier eras in Europe had been heavy in every sense; the Rococo period saw the appearance of light-framed upholstered armchairs, side chairs and occasional tables that could easily be moved to form conversational circles.
The signal detail of Rococo furniture design is the gently curved cabriole, or S-shaped chair-, table-, and cabinet-leg. It imitates the bend of a tree limb or a flower stem. In a further reference to nature, furnishings were often asymmetrical and painted white, or in soft, pastel shades. Rococo has become a timeless style, and as the furniture pieces presented on 1stDibs demonstrate, its playful, sculptural forms can provide visual excitement to contemporary, clean-lined spaces.
18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Cupboards
Glass, Wood
18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Wood, Blown Glass
18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Wood
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Brass
2010s Dutch Rococo Cupboards
Steel
Early 18th Century Italian Antique Rococo Cupboards
Chestnut
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Pine
Mid-18th Century Chinese Antique Rococo Cupboards
Hardwood
20th Century Rococo Cupboards
Birdseye Maple, Wood, Beech, Pine
Late 18th Century French Antique Rococo Cupboards
Oak
18th Century French Antique Rococo Cupboards
Iron
Late 18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Bronze
18th Century Swedish Antique Rococo Cupboards
Wood
2010s Dutch Rococo Cupboards
Steel
19th Century French Antique Rococo Cupboards
Walnut, Glass
19th Century French Antique Rococo Cupboards
Glass, Walnut
19th Century North American Antique Rococo Cupboards
Glass, Mirror, Oak